The free University Museum, Rowan Oak's grounds, Thacker Mountain Radio, free city events, murals, galleries, parks and Sunday parking on the Square.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Each entry links its source: the University of Mississippi Museum, the Oxford Park Commission, Thacker Mountain Radio and Visit Oxford.

A lot of what Oxford is known for costs nothing. The University Museum and the grounds of William Faulkner’s home are free, the weekly Thacker Mountain Radio Hour charges no admission, and every Oxford Park Commission special event is free and open to all ages. On a Sunday, even the parking on the Square is free.

This month

  • Thacker Mountain Radio Hour: Thursday, Oct. 15, 6 p.m., The Powerhouse (free)
  • Park Commission Halloween and fall festival: Thursday, Oct. 15, Oxford Activity Center (free)
  • Thacker Mountain “Sarahfest”: Thursday, Oct. 29, 6 p.m., The Powerhouse (free)

Museums and history

  • University Museum, University Avenue at Fifth Street; 662-915-7073. Free. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday, Monday and most university holidays. Exhibition openings, the Brown Bag lecture series, Free Sketch Fridays and Family Activity Days are all open to the public.
  • Rowan Oak, William Faulkner’s home. The grounds are free and open dawn to dusk. Going inside the house is the one charge on this page: $5 a person. The house is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
  • Bailey Woods Trail, the free path from Rowan Oak to the museum, is temporarily closed for bridge repairs.
  • The Square. The Courthouse Square Historic District is on the National Register; read up on it in our guide to the Square and history and landmarks.

Music, books and stage

  • Thacker Mountain Radio Hour: author readings and live music, recorded Thursdays at 6 p.m. in the fall and spring. Admission is free; doors and refreshments open at 5:30 p.m. Upcoming Oxford shows are Thursday, Oct. 15, and Thursday, Oct. 29, both at The Powerhouse, 413 S. 14th St.
  • Author events at Square Books. The store on the Square holds more than 150 author events a year, Visit Oxford says; see the Square for the three Square Books stores.
  • Double Decker Arts Festival, the last weekend of April. The concert on the Square is free, Friday night and all day Saturday.
  • Summer Sunset Series: free live music at 6 p.m. every Sunday in June; bring a blanket or chair, Visit Oxford says.

Art

  • The Powerhouse, 413 S. 14th St. The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s center has eight rotating art exhibits a year, free to the public, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, Visit Oxford says.
  • Murals. Visit Oxford’s mural guide lists four: an abstract mural on the side of Ace Hardware on University Avenue, the Moe’s BBQ mural on the Square, the “Greetings from Oxford” postcard mural behind City Hall, and “Here in Spirit,” Anna Murphy’s mural of Princess Hoka of the Chickasaw Nation beside the downtown parking garage.
  • Galleries with free walk-in hours, from Visit Oxford’s gallery page: Southside Gallery, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 662-234-9090; the Oxford Artists’ Guild gallery upstairs at Sugar Magnolia Antique Mall, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday; and Oxford Treehouse Gallery, noon to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Free city events

The Oxford Park Commission says every one of its special events is free and open to all ages, and most start between 5 and 7 p.m.

Event Date Where
Halloween and fall festival Thursday, Oct. 15 Oxford Activity Center, 400 Price St.
Night at the North Pole Tuesday, Dec. 8 Oxford Activity Center, 400 Price St.

Parks, trails and play

  • City parks. Playgrounds, courts and walking tracks at Avent, Price Hill (with a spray pool), Stone, Rivers Hill and Bailey Branch parks; see parks and trails.
  • Lamar Park: walking trails, gardens and a lake; dogs on a leash; closes at dusk.
  • South Campus Rail Trail: 5 miles round trip on the old railroad bed at Ole Miss; see walking and biking trails.
  • Tennis. The John Leslie Courts, 400 Price St., have 20 lighted hard courts open to the public year-round; the lights go off at 11 p.m., the Park Commission says.
  • Lap swim at the city pool is free, 10 a.m. to noon weekdays, in the summer season.

Free parking

Parking on and around the Square is free on Sundays and holidays, and the second, third and fourth floors of the downtown garage are free except during special events, according to Visit Oxford.

What this means for you

  • Thursday, Oct. 15, has two free events: the city’s fall festival and Thacker Mountain at The Powerhouse. Both are in the early evening, so pick one or check the times.
  • Plan the museum for Tuesday through Saturday; it is closed Sunday and Monday.
  • Come to the Square on a Sunday and park free.

Related: kids’ activities, live music and nightlife, things to do this month and dog-friendly Oxford.

Frequently asked questions

What is free to do in Oxford, Mississippi?

The University Museum, the Rowan Oak grounds, Thacker Mountain Radio Hour, the Oxford Park Commission’s special events, the Powerhouse art exhibits, the city parks and the murals around the Square are all free.

Is Rowan Oak free?

The grounds are free and open dawn to dusk. Going inside William Faulkner’s house costs $5 a person, the University of Mississippi says.

Is Thacker Mountain Radio free?

Yes. The show’s schedule lists free admission. Upcoming Oxford tapings are Thursday, Oct. 15, and Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. at The Powerhouse, 413 S. 14th St.

When is parking free on the Oxford Square?

On Sundays and holidays. Payment is required 10 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday, and the upper three floors of the downtown garage are free except during special events.

What free events does the Oxford Park Commission hold?

All of its special events are free and open to all ages. The rest of the 2026 list is a Halloween and fall festival on Thursday, Oct. 15, and Night at the North Pole on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the Oxford Activity Center.